Medical connector

Abstract

A medical connector providing connection between medical devices comprising a female end connectable with a male end of a first medical device, a generally circular covering portion attached to the female end that is substantially wider than the transverse cross-section of the female end, a second end configured to connect with a second medical device, a housing extending between the female end and the second end comprising a region adjacent the covering portion that is wider than an outer diameter of the covering portion. In a first stage, the female end is configured to remain stationary with respect to the housing while the male end of the first medical device is rotated onto the female end. In a second stage, the female end is configured to rotate with respect to the housing to inhibit disconnection of the male end of the first medical device.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A medical connector configured to provide a permanent connection between medical devices, the medical connector comprising: a female end configured to receive a male end of a first medical device; a generally circular covering portion attached to the female end that is substantially wider than the transverse cross-section of the female end; a second end configured to connect with a second medical device; a housing extending between the female end and the second end, the housing comprising a region adjacent the covering portion that is wider than an outer diameter of the covering portion; a resilient member positioned at least partially within the housing; and an axially moveable valve member; wherein: in a first stage, the female end is configured to remain stationary with respect to the housing while the male end of the first medical device is rotated onto the female end, in that the torque required to rotate the female end with respect to the housing is greater than the torque required to rotate the male end of the first medical device onto female end; in a second stage, after the male end of the first medical device is rotated onto the female end, the female end is configured to rotate with respect to the housing to inhibit disconnection of the male end of the first medical device from the female end of the medical connector; and the medical connector is configured to selectively seal fluid flow from the second end after the medical connector is disconnected from the second medical device. 
     
     
       2. The medical connector of  claim 1 , wherein the second end comprises a rigid tubular male member. 
     
     
       3. The medical connector of  claim 2 , wherein the valve member at least partially extends through the housing in an axial direction and comprises:
 a first opened end and a second end; 
 a passageway within the valve member; 
 at least one opening near the second end of the valve member extending outwardly from the passageway through the valve member; a sealing element disposed within the housing and configured to inhibit fluid communication through the hollow bore of the housing between the interior of the tubular male member and the female end of the housing. 
 
     
     
       4. The medical connector of  claim 3 , further comprising at least one strut connected to the valve member and extending towards the second end of the valve member, the at least one strut extending substantially parallel to the central axis of the valve member and at least partially surrounding a narrow section of the valve member ending in the second end. 
     
     
       5. The medical connector of  claim 1 , wherein the valve member is rigid. 
     
     
       6. The medical connector of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one strut connected to the valve member and extending towards the second end of the medical connector. 
     
     
       7. The medical connector of  claim 1 , wherein the female end comprises a protrusion configured to break off when the male end of the first medical device is rotated relative to the female end beyond a point where the male end of the first medical device is substantially fully engaged with the female end such, when the protrusion has broken off, the female end is configured to rotate with respect to the housing to inhibit disconnection of the male end of the first medical device from the female end of the medical connector. 
     
     
       8. A medical device kit, comprising:
 the medical connector of  claim 1 ; and 
 at least one of the first medical device having a male end configured to be received by the female end of the medical connector and the second medical device configured to connect with the second end of the medical connector. 
 
     
     
       9. The medical connector of  claim 1 , wherein the valve member at least partially extends through the housing in an axial direction and comprises:
 a first opened end and a second end; 
 a passageway within the valve member; 
 at least one opening near the second end of the valve member extending outwardly from the passageway through the valve member. 
 
     
     
       10. A medical connector configured to provide a permanent connection between medical devices, the medical connector comprising:
 a housing with an outer engagement surface, a first end, and a second end, said first end including a male portion configured to engage a female connector and said second end including a first opening;
 a generally linear fluid passageway between the first and second ends of the housing, at least a portion of said passageway being defined by an axially moveable valve member that is slideable along a linear axis of said housing and said passageway being blocked at said male portion when said medical connector is in a closed position; 
 
 wherein the valve member at least partially extends through the housing in an axial direction and comprises a first opened end and a second end, a passageway within the valve member, and at least one opening near the second end of the valve member extending outwardly from the passageway of the valve member through the valve member;
 said first end of said housing further comprising an outer shroud fixed relative to the housing and including an engagement portion disposed on an inner wall thereof; 
 said second end of said housing comprising a first generally tubular structure extending from said first opening, said generally tubular structure including a second opening having a first outer diameter smaller than an inner diameter of said first opening and a radially extending covering portion positioned between said second opening and said first opening of said housing, said radially extending covering portion having a second outer diameter larger than said first outer diameter and said tubular structure configured to rotate relative to said housing to inhibit disconnection of the medical connector from another medical device; and 
 
 within said housing, said first opened end of said valve member surrounding a portion of said first generally tubular structure. 
 
     
     
       11. The medical connector of  claim 10 , wherein at least a portion of both said radially extending covering portion and said second opening rotate outside of said housing. 
     
     
       12. The medical connector of  claim 10 , further comprising at least one strut connected to the valve member and extending towards the second end of the valve member, the at least one strut extending substantially parallel to the central axis of the fluid-flow inhibiting member and at least partially surrounding a narrow section of the valve member ending in the second closed end. 
     
     
       13. The medical connector of  claim 10 , further comprising a sealing element disposed within the housing and configured to inhibit fluid communication through the fluid passageway of the housing between an interior surface of the fluid passageway and an outside surface of the valve member. 
     
     
       14. The medical connector of  claim 10 , wherein the valve member is rigid. 
     
     
       15. The medical connector of  claim 10 , wherein the second end comprises a protrusion configured to break off when a first medical device is rotated relative to the second end beyond a point where the first medical device is substantially fully engaged with the second end such, when the protrusion has broken off, the second end is configured to rotate with respect to the housing to inhibit disconnection of the first medical device from the second end of the medical connector.